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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27586439">That's Ninja Swag (it's nothing new)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabro/pseuds/Fabro-de-omres'>Fabro-de-omres (Fabro)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lego Ninjago, The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Kai is a good bro, Light Angst, Lloyd Garmadon is a Drama Queen, Reincarnation, Team Feels, but his friends love him for it anyway, but the ninja have five (5) inside jokes they still die over each time, i dont know who needs to hear this, post s10 pre movie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:53:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27586439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabro/pseuds/Fabro-de-omres</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"The Green Ninja was the one to imprison the Anacondrai warriors in the Cursed Realm," drones Mrs. Miller.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>  <em>"That's not right," Lloyd's saying before he realizes it. The class spins to stare at him. "Garmadon was the one to open the Cursed Realm, sacrificing his life to do it."</em></p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, Lloyd's life just doesn't seem to add up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cole &amp; Lloyd Garmadon &amp; Kai &amp; Nya &amp; Jay Walker &amp; Zane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>128</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Lloyd</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm finally getting around to transposing these from FFN.net!  This story is my writer's block baby- aka I work on it when I have no inspiration elsewhere :D  Enjoy!  Expect chapters 2+3 up soon, as they are pre-written.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometimes, Lloyd's life just doesn't seem to add up.</p>
<p>And no, he's not talking about the fact that he's both the Green Ninja and the son of Garmadon. Because it's more than that. It's the small everyday things that catch him off-guard.</p>
<p>Like how he winces when the wind rustles through the tree leaves. Or how he spirals his arms when he's surprised- Lloyd might say it's just a flail reaction, but it's more than that, there's an intent behind the motion, and he knows it. Or how sometimes he looks in the mirror, and for a split second, is confused by the bright-green eyes staring back.</p>
<p>Lloyd usually can brush those things off. Everyone has weird senses of deja-vu, right? But these little incidents are getting bigger and bigger and harder and harder to ignore.</p>
<p>Like this morning. He's slouching in history class, half-listening to the lesson as he doodles on his paper. He never talks here. Well, he never tends to talk in any of his classes, but the history teacher Mrs. Miller seems to have a personal vendetta against him and spends every lesson either talking bad about his family or praising the Green Ninja.</p>
<p>(The past Green Ninja, that is. Lloyd's not the first one to bear the title. A hundred years ago or so, a different Green Ninja stopped the Serpentine uprising and the coup led by the Jade Princess. Sometimes, when Lloyd fights his father, he wonders how someone so good, so perfect, shares the same blood as him.)</p>
<p>"The Green Ninja was the one to imprison the Anacondrai warriors in the Cursed Realm," drones Mrs. Miller.</p>
<p>"That's not right," he's saying before he realizes it. The class spins to stare at him. "Garmadon was the one to open the Cursed Realm, sacrificing his life to do it."</p>
<p>There are several seconds of dead silence. Lloyd is suddenly aware that he's standing up at his desk and challenging the teacher. He feels his cheeks heat and sinks back into his chair.</p>
<p>"Well, I don't know how you know that, Mr. Garmadon," sniffs the teacher finally. "But if you're trying to make us sympathize with your father, let me tell you, you won't succeed."</p>
<p>"Dude, you're gonna blow our cover like that!" Noa says as they stream out of the classroom. "I get that you love your dad, but try to keep it down here?"</p>
<p>"That's not what I was trying to do," mumbles Lloyd. But that does raise the question. Why does Lloyd care so much if his dad likes him? It's not like he knows him- he shouldn't even have a memory of him.</p>
<p>They go to the Dojo after school and train. No one else brings up his slip in class.</p>
<p>It's a week later and the class is on a field trip to the Ninjago Museum of History. Lloyd hangs at the edge of the crowd, already having been pulled aside and told in no uncertain terms that he had better be on his best behavior.</p>
<p>"And this is our Hall of Heroes," says the tour guide, leading them into the room. Lloyd lets his eyes wander around. "Dedicated to our heroes of old, the original Ninja Force!"</p>
<p>No one really is listening to him. They all want to go back to the entrance exhibit, the one dedicated to the current Ninja Force where you can get pictures by the life-size models of Lloyd and his friends and watch the videos of their fights against Garmadon.</p>
<p>Lloyd wanders away from the group. It's not like any of them will care anyway. He pauses by a case with battle-worn gis inside and tries to imagine Jay in the aggressive-looking armor. There's a picture on the wall of the original six. The Green Ninja stands at the head of the group, his bright green eyes staring out from behind his mask.</p>
<p>Something is behind him. Lloyd feels it, like a tingling crawl down his back. He turns around.</p>
<p>On the wall across of him hang four golden weapons. Lloyd walks up to them. There's a sword with a dragon crawling around it, a pair of nun-chucks with a chain that seems to spark as he looks at it, a pair of shuriken with small white stones set in them, and another large weapon with a dragon's head spitting flames across its blade.</p>
<p>"Ah, yes!" says the tour guide, coming up beside him. "The Golden Weapons of Creation. Used by the original four ninja before the other two members joined their team. Legend says that they respond in the presence of their true master, the Green Ninja."</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon, who fought back against the ghost possessing his body and saved the day.</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon who has nightmares of storms and still flinches at strong breezes.</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon who stopped the reign of Garmadon and brought the Princess of Ninjago to justice.</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon who freaks when he's submerged in water, who stares at his eyes and wonders why they're not red.</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon who lived almost a hundred years before and was the Green Ninja.</p>
<p>Lloyd Garmadon who stares up at the weapons on the wall and... is the Green Ninja.</p>
<p>And Lloyd remembers. He's not just named after the hero of old, the other son of Garmadon who overcame his lineage and saved the world. He <em>is</em> him.</p>
<p>"Lloyd!" Ky elbows him in the side. His voice drops to a hiss. "Bro, you're glowing."</p>
<p>And he is.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ever since that trip to the Museum of History a couple of days ago, Lloyd's been acting… strange. And Ky doesn't mean his usual brand of strange -how anyone could eat steak <em>cold</em> is beyond him. No, he's acting shifty. And Ky plans to get to the bottom of it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey Ky. Ky."</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>Ky looks up from where he's busy planning how best to take his nap. Lloyd raises an eyebrow at him. He's clearly going for nonchalant, but there's this tenseness in the way he's sitting that immediately puts Ky on guard.</p><p>He shifts to face Lloyd better. "Yeah, sure bro, what's up?"</p><p>Lloyd smiles, but there's a crease between his eyes. "Hey. I was wondering if you'd meet me in the library later?"</p><p>Oh. Oh. Ky sits up straight and pushes all plans of sleep to the back of his mind. Because if Lloyd wants to talk to him, then it could be about… that. No, scratch that, it's almost <em>definitely</em> about it.</p><p>Ever since that trip to the Museum of History a couple of days ago, Lloyd's been acting… strange. And Ky doesn't mean his usual brand of strange -how anyone could eat steak <em>cold</em> is beyond him. No, he's acting shifty. And Ky plans to get to the bottom of it.</p><p>"Yeah, sure thing," Ky says. They're some of the first to the classroom; none of the others are here yet. "I'll let Noa know, she'll tell the others-"</p><p>"No." Lloyd's hand on his arm stops Ky in his tracks. "Don't tell them. Or at least, not yet. I, uh, I want to look into something by myself first. Make sure I'm not going crazy." He mumbles that last part under his breath, but Ky still hears him.</p><p>"Can do," Ky says, electing to ignore that last part. Lloyd has a tendency for self-deprecation, after all.</p><p>Lloyd gives him a thankful grin. Ky grins back. Lloyd turns back to his seat and Ky's grin settles into something more thoughtful. What's Lloyd got to say that's that important? He shifts back and tries to get comfortable. He's not getting that nap today.</p><p>At the end of the day, Ky shoves his books into his locker and heads for the school library. When he arrives, he almost doesn't find Lloyd behind the ginormous pile of books at his table.</p><p>"What the heck is this?" Ky asks, gesturing sharply at the stack. It truly is impressive, and Ky would be more impressed if he wasn't so crestfallen. "You didn't tell me we would be reading," he whines. "You should have asked Zach or someone else to help you with this. I'm terrible at reading."</p><p>"But I wanted you," Lloyd says matter-of-factly, not looking up from his book. He pats the seat beside him. "Come on, stop complaining and help."</p><p>Ky goes over, ignoring the warm feeling in his chest. "What's got you all interested in this history stuff all of a sudden?" he asks.</p><p>Lloyd shrugs evasively. "Just curious."</p><p>Ky stares. That almost sounded like a believable lie. Lloyd does not do almost believable lies. He doesn't do halfway believable or even -<em>what's the word for half of a half? oh yeah!</em>- or even quarterway believable lies.</p><p>"Okay," he says, slamming his book down. "What has gotten into you?"</p><p>Lloyd flails. "Gotten into me? Nothing! Nothing's gotten into me!" He props his elbow on the table and gives Ky the fakest grin ever. "Uh, what makes you think that?"</p><p>Ky squints. While that sounds more like the Lloyd he knows, that grin isn't fooling anyone. "You never stay at school longer than you have to," he points out. He sits down. "So what are we researching? Mongooses? Puberty?"</p><p>"You think you're so funny," Lloyd says dryly. He sighs. "No. I'm- it's the original Ninja Force."</p><p>Ky shoots up so fast he knocks his chair over. "Aha! I knew this was about what happened at the museum!"</p><p>"Ky!" Lloyd hisses, pulling him back down. He glances around the library and glares at him. "People could be listening!"</p><p>"What people," Ky grouses. "There's no one here. I checked as I came in."</p><p>Honestly, Lloyd needs to trust him more. It's not like Ky evacuates buildings all the time for a living or anything- well, not for a living exactly, but you get the point.</p><p>Lloyd's brow pulls together, but he concedes the point. "Just be more careful," he says.</p><p>"Got it, chief." Ky picks up his chair and sits down again. "So did you find anything? You said you didn't know why you were glowing when I asked." He has to fight to keep the hurt out of his voice. Lloyd wouldn't lie to him about something like that.</p><p>Lloyd shifts. "I didn't know exactly why," he hedges, "but I had a hunch. Did you hear what the tour guide said? Right before I, uh, started glowing?" His face turns pink.</p><p>"You know I didn't," Ky says, "otherwise I wouldn't be asking questions."</p><p>Lloyd nods. "Right. Okay. He said that those golden weapons on the wall- you saw them, right?"</p><p>Ky nods too. He'd thought the sword with the dragon eating flames had looked pretty sick.</p><p>"He said that they react in the presence of the Green Ninja."</p><p>Ky feels his eyes widen. "So that's why you- but- how-?" His mind seizes the strongest response- anger- and he runs with it. "That idiot! He could have given away your secret identity!"</p><p>"He didn't know!" Lloyd defends. "And it's not like anyone else made the connection."</p><p>"Still," Ky says, for the principle of it even though he knows Lloyd's right. He breathes out. "Wow. So, like, at least now you know you're the green ninja for sure."</p><p>"You've got that right," Lloyd says in a strange tone. Suddenly, he's looking hard into Ky's face. "Have you been, uh… Have you ever felt deja vu before?"</p><p>Ky shrugs. "Sure, I guess. Hasn't everyone?"</p><p>Lloyd searches his face a little while longer. Ky fidgets. Apparently that's not the answer he was looking for, because Lloyd sighs and turns away. "Yeah, I guess so. Nevermind."</p><p>He checks his watch and stands, stretching. "We've gotta go. Master Wu expects us for training in half an hour."</p><p>Ky follows him out, wondering what else he was supposed to say.</p><p>Three days later finds the whole gang sans Jay at the pool, soaking up the last of the summer heat. Ky lounges in one of the deck chairs, sunglasses perched on his nose and arms crossed behind his head. The sun is warm on his bare chest. He sighs contentedly.</p><p>A little ways away, Lloyd floats in the water. He's on one of those blowup chair thingies, the ones that everyone love but just make Ky's skin feel sticky. Well, at least he seems happy. This is one of those rich people pools, so there's an entire area dedicated to kids with spray guns and buckets. Kai squirts Lloyd with water just to see the way he scowls at him.</p><p>Also on dry ground are Noa, Zach, and Colton. Zach can't get in the water for… obvious reasons, and Noa's taking a break from the water to pass a bright yellow frisbee back and forth with him. Colton has a stupid drink hat on and an ever-present earbud tucked into one ear. He's the reason any of them are even allowed in the rich people pool, so Ky will hold back from mocking him. Probably.</p><p>Ky leans back again. There was just a Garmadon attack two days ago, so according to Zach, they're in the clear. Hmm. He could take a nap, wouldn't that be nice…</p><p>"Lloyd, think fast!"</p><p>Ky opens his eyes right as Noa tosses a frisbee in the air. Everything after that happens in slow motion. Lloyd reaches up for the frisbee, overextends. He topples off his float, which would be fine if he were anyone else. But Ky sees the panic in his eyes as he goes under, his complete terror-</p><p>And Kai. Doesn't think. Doesn't hesitate. Doesn't do anything except fling off his sunglasses and jump into the pool. Water rushes up over his head but he can't think about that now, can't think about the lump of panic that rises in his own throat. He has to get to Lloyd. His hand brushes something and he seizes it.</p><p>They break the surface, gasping, but very much alive.</p><p>"Lloyd!" Nya's face appears in front of his. The girl is wide-eyed with horror. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think-"</p><p>She starts to haul him up and exhausted, Kai can't do much more than let Lloyd go into her care. He clutches at the side of the pool as images flash through his head. What's happening to him? Why is he seeing:</p><p>Himself, bent over an anvil.</p><p>Himself, looking out of a volcano from the inside.</p><p>Himself, a staff in one hand and a ball of energy around him.</p><p>Himself, opening the door to a hut in a swamp.</p><p>Himself, with gold weapons laid out at his feet and a dying forge at his back.</p><p>A thousand pictures flash through Ky's mind, a thousand memories, and he lets out a whine as he clutches his head. It feels like he's dying. Or maybe he's being born again. Oh FSM, what Lloyd must have felt going through this alone-</p><p>Lloyd!</p><p>Ky clambers out of the pool. He doesn't realize he's shivering until Zach drapes a towel over his shoulders and starts spouting off facts about human death rates from falling into pools. Which, number one, is a lot higher than Ky would have thought, and number two, not important right now. He pushes past the teen, not unkindly, and goes over to the chair they've set Lloyd in. Lloyd looks up as he approaches.</p><p>"Kai?" he asks.</p><p>It sounds exactly like his name, but Ky knows- he doesn't know how, but he <em>knows-</em> that it's meant for the other him. "Yeah. Yeah, Lloyd, I'm here."</p><p>Lloyd's face crumples. "I thought I was alone."</p><p>And ouch. Ky tries not to let his hurt show on his face. "Alone, Lloyd? With all of us at your side?" He gestures widely to their group of friends, who are not so subtly eavesdropping on their conversation. "Any of them, <em>us</em>, would follow you into battle without question. Don't try and undermine that."</p><p>Lloyd must see how much he's affected him because his eyes go wide and a flurry of 'sorry's spill from his lips. Kai rubs a hand over his eyes. Yeesh. Combine his Lloyd's tendency to apologize for anything and everything with this Lloyd's tendency to blabber and this is what you end up with.</p><p>"No, no, sorry," he says. "I know you didn't mean it like that."</p><p>"Yeah," Lloyd says softly. "So you remember-?"</p><p>"Most of it," Ky says. "It's really weird. It's like I've got a whole other life inside my head." He wrinkles his nose.</p><p>"You kinda do," Lloyd says, but not mocking.</p><p>"Okay," says Noa, hands on her hips. "Is anyone going to tell me what the heck is going on here, or will I have to-"</p><p>The warning sirens cut off whatever she was going to say next. The five of them look at each other and collectively groan.</p><p>"You are not getting out of this conversation," Noa warns.</p><p>"I wouldn't dream of it," Ky says. "C'mon, let's go!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Interlude: Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jay exhales. Another day, another fight. They've got this. He can do this. This will be fine.</p><p>It becomes immediately clear that today is anything other than another day.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>last of the prewritten chapters!  With my writing schedule, unfortunately I cannot guarantee when the next will be written :D  enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jay is about to do what they call a pro gamer move.</p><p>He lines up all twenty pages of his assignment. Two taps to the table length-wise, two taps height-wise. With a steady hand he slips the modest stack beneath the stapler, checks his corners one last time, raises his hand- and the wailing of the sirens erupts from outside.</p><p>Jay slams his hand down. The stapler goes flying off the edge of his deck and he yelps, snapping his hand back and rubbing at the reddening skin. "Hot Belgian waffles!" What in the world is going on out there? He moves to his window, peering out. Garmadon just attacked so it can't possibly be him, right? Right?</p><p>Something smashes into his window. Jay screeches, flying backward. He screams again as the shark warrior wobbles back to her feet, face right next to the glass. She bares her teeth at him before scuttling off.</p><p>Jay presses back against his bed, breathing heavily. No matter how many times he comes face to face with Garmadon's army, the same fear still thrills through him.</p><p>Thudding down the hall brings him back to himself. "Jason!" calls his mother. "Garmadon is attacking again! Are you hiding under your bed yet?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah, mom!" he calls back, stumbling into motion. "Go with dad! I'm fine!"</p><p>"Alright, honey!" Her footsteps recede. Jay digs under his bed for his gi and mask. He throws them on haphazardly, unlocks his window, and climbs up onto the street above.</p><p>The city is already in panic. It takes Jay nearly fifteen minutes to reach the warehouse, and when he pedals through the doors the rest of the ninja squad is already there and suiting up.</p><p>"Jay!" calls Colton, giving him a friendly wave. "Missed you today, bro."</p><p>"You know how it is," Jay says, shrugging as he climbs into his mech. "Homework was a real pain in the-"</p><p>Lloyd's dragon mech roars to life. Its eyes light up and its mouth unhinges, head articulating from side to side. "Let's go, team!" shouts the green ninja. The rest of them echo their calls.</p><p>Jay exhales. Another day, another fight. They've got this. He can do this. This will be fine.</p><p>It becomes immediately clear that today is anything other than another day.</p><p>Lloyd launches into his typical spiel. "Jay, you take the air," he commands, "Noa- the water. Ky, Zach, and Colton- downtown." Honestly, Jay just tunes him out most of the time. Their roles never change. "I'm going after my- Garmadon," Lloyd finishes.</p><p>But instead of agreeing like he always does, Ky scoffs over his comms. "No offense Lloyd, but that's a terrible idea."</p><p>Lloyd splutters. Ky barrels on. "In fact, why don't you take the downtown this time, okay? Me and my mech can handle a little bit of Garmadon action."</p><p>From his place in the sky, Jay sees the fire mech show off its arms as it mimics what Ky's doing inside.</p><p>"Ky-!" Lloyd shouts, but the fire ninja is already running ahead, straight for the largest ring of action. Lloyd growls. Like, actually growls. If they were back in school Jay would share a worried look with Colton, but alas, he is alone in the sky and a crab warrior has to share with him instead.</p><p>"That idiot!" Lloyd seethes. "What's he thinking, why is he like this?" There are several clicks of buttons, like Lloyd's adjusting something inside his mech. "I'm going after him. The rest of you stay where you are." As he speaks, the dragon mech goes roaring past Jay.</p><p>This attack is not one of Garmadon's best. Jay circles over the city, eyes darting between the streets below and the controls in front of him. He manages to open up a private comm link with the rest of the ninja without falling out of the sky. So, you know. Go Jay.</p><p>The screen lights up to let him know Noa and Zach have received his request. Jay finds their mechs in the city below. "Does Lloyd seem… different to you?" he hazards.</p><p>Noa laughs. It's not a happy sound. "Him and Ky both. You weren't there today, Jay, but he actually jumped into the pool."</p><p>Jay's eyes bug. "Ky? Who refused to go to Colton's birthday thing last year because it was on a sailboat? Are we talking about the same guy here?"</p><p>"Right? Lloyd was slipping from his inner tube and he just yeeted himself in after him."</p><p>"Lloyd did appear to be scared," Zach pipes up. "His eyes were wide and his heart rate was 127 beats per minute."</p><p>"He was surprised," Noa says. "Besides, he knows how to swim." She goes quiet for a long moment, so long that Jay thinks she might be finished, but then she says under her breath: "It was like he forgot how to, though."</p><p>"Okay, enough of this," Colton says. Startled, Jay glances down at his console- and yep, there's Colton's little light, glowing softly beside the other three. The earth ninja doesn't sound amused. "Gossip later. Lloyd's counting on us to do our jobs right now, so let's actually do them."</p><p>"We're paying attention!" Noa sulks, but her light blinks out a moment later.</p><p>Jay grins sheepishly, even though Colton can't possibly see him. "Sorry, Colt," he says. "I'm focusing now."</p><p>The shark warriors are chased out of the downtown area with little fanfare. Jay zaps the flying ones out of the sky and Noa's long-legged mech drags them into the harbor. In a matter of minutes, the streets are cleared and the noise of the attack quiets.</p><p>This only means that the loud clangs and crashes coming from the center of the city are amplified. Jay flies higher. There- battling in the middle of the public square are three masses of green, black, and red.</p><p>"I see them!" he relays. "They're in the square."</p><p>"Race you there," Noa says immediately.</p><p>"Be there or be square," Colton says.</p><p>Jay rolls his eyes, because as much as Cole pretends he isn't a nerd he <em>really</em> is. He beats Noa to the fight easily- hello, straight path anyone? Ky and Lloyd are railing on Garmadon, blurs of red and green swooping in and out. At first it looks like they're tag-teaming him, but as Jay gets closer their conversation filters into his comms.</p><p>"Okay, you go right- not your right, my right!"</p><p>"How in the world was I supposed to know it was your right when I don't know what <em>my</em> right is?"</p><p>"Wait, wait, he's going to swipe up- why did you do that?"</p><p>"I thought you wanted cover!"</p><p>Simply put, it's a hot mess.</p><p>Jay doesn't know how to help, and he's afraid any attempt made by him will only complicate things further, so he hovers high and out of their way.</p><p>"Woah," Noa says, catching up to him. The water strider mech climbs a building like king kong, hanging off the side for a better view. "They're really going at it."</p><p>"This is not good," Zach says worriedly. "Ky and Lloyd are not working together. It would be better for one of them to back off-"</p><p>"But they're both too stubborn to bow out," Colton finishes for him.</p><p>Garmadon's shark mech strikes out with its tail, catching the fire mech across the chest. For a second nothing happens, then the lights on its fin pulse and Ky goes crashing backward.</p><p>"Ky!" Lloyd screams. Noa's already detangling herself from the building as the green ninja whirls on Garmadon, snarling. "That's my brother!" he shouts, dragon mech glowing at the mouth. "Da- Garmadon! How could you?"</p><p>Garmadon looks as confused as Jay feels. "All's fair in a little love and war, green ninja," he says, but there's a furrow between his brows. "Wait a minute, what did you just call-"</p><p>Lloyd screams. His mech, bunched like a cat, launches at Garmadon.</p><p>"Lloyd's gone feral," Jay breathes. No one hears him; they're all too preoccupied with freeing Ky from his mech. The giant robot is twitching feebly, arms incapacitated at its sides and sparks flying up from its joints. Noa has her mech's legs under the cockpit shield, trying to pry it up.</p><p>Garmadon readies himself for the attack. But seconds before Lloyd can reach him, a blast of fire cuts through the air between them.</p><p>Jay's jaw drops. Ky, he thinks, but when he glances over to the pile his mech is still crashed on the ground. Ky, however, is standing on the chest of it, panting harshly, one hand still outstretched.</p><p>"Stay away from him," he snarls. "Or I won't miss next time."</p><p>"Ky!" Noa is under his arm now, supporting him with her body. A second later Colton is there too, and together they bring him down onto the asphalt.</p><p>"I'm not hurt, Noa," Ky is saying, struggling weakly in their arms. "Let me go, Noa, so I can punch his face in- I'll even let you get one in too for good measure."</p><p>"Interesting, interesting." Jay snaps his focus back to Garmadon. Oh shoot. Oh shoot. He's the only one remotely-battle ready, which means he'll have to hold Garmadon back if he attacks. Sweat beads down his neck. He tightens his grip on the controllers.</p><p>But the four-armed overlord doesn't seem primed to attack. No- he has the same expression from earlier on his face and is looking at their group like he's never seen them before. "Very interesting," he says.</p><p>Suddenly he straightens, brushing off debris from his clothes. "Alright. You win this round, little ninja. I've got some things back home at the ol' lair that need attending to. I'll see you next week, same time, same place?"</p><p>Garmadon winks and waves at him. Jay's heart is in his throat. The warlord walks back into the sea, water swallowing up the crest of his mech. The beaten-down shark warriors trail after him. Finally, all is still.</p><p>Jay gasps in relief. He waits until he can see the fin far enough out, before he flips some switches to put the jet on autopilot. He slides down the emergency ladder. The ground punches the breath from his lungs. Beneath his feet, the asphalt is stained bloody with mech paint.</p><p>"Ky!" he cries, running over to the group. "What was that, dude?"</p><p>"That was idiotic!" Lloyd stalks up to where Kai is sitting back against the hull of his mech. "What were you thinking? You could have been killed!"</p><p>Ky scoffs. "What, and you're invincible? I have just as much of a chance against Garmadon as you do, maybe even better since he doesn't know my attack patterns."</p><p>"Oh, so now you're a strategy expert?"</p><p>"One of us has to be."</p><p>Lloyd glares at him. "Master Wu made me the leader of this team. If you don't like it, you can take it up with him. But until then, you need to follow my orders on the field."</p><p>Ky rolls his eyes. "Sure thing, temporary master-Lloyd-in-training," he grumbles. Lloyd's eyes widen and his mouth drops open. But just as soon as he does, the expression passes and his face crumples.</p><p>"Low blow," he sniffles. "Real fricking low blow there, Ky."</p><p>Ky's eyes are wide at Lloyd's distress, but his voice is steady as he replies. "You needed to hear it. You're not a one-man-army, Lloyd." He drags the green ninja into a hug, and surprisingly, Lloyd goes with it. "You're not alone," he says, much quieter, like the rest of them aren't supposed to hear. "Didn't I tell you that already? You're not alone anymore, not ever."</p><p>For some reason, those three words are the final straw. Lloyd sobs, hands fisting into Ky's shirt. The two of them stand there, uncaring of the other four ninja or the rest of the world slowly emerging from their homes. Jay shares a glance with Noa. She looks just as unsettled as he feels.</p><p>Two, three minutes later, Lloyd removes his tear-stained face from Ky's shoulder. He laughs wetly at the sight of them. Jay takes a moment to realize how they all must look: frozen in place with expressions of badly-masked startlement. "C'mon," Lloyd says, punching Ky gently in the arm, earlier animosity apparently forgotten. "Let's get back to the Bounty. It's been a long day."</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Zach</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the days to follow, Ky and Lloyd are different.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Merry Christmas everyone! I won't be posting again until anniversary, Jan 14, so enjoy this update in the meantime!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the days to follow, Ky and Lloyd are different.</p><p>It's not that their group didn't hang out before. In fact, psychiatrists might be tempted to define their circle as codependent on a normal day when all they have to worry about is homework and saving their city is a problem of the future. Their status as social outsiders means that they're constantly hanging off each other and sticking as a group.</p><p>But Ky and Lloyd now…</p><p>It's the way that Ky starts doing things for Lloyd, little things, but things he never would have before, and Lloyd lets him without kicking up a fuss like he does with the rest of them. Ky opens Lloyd's water bottles for him. Lloyd only complains mildly when he divides their food so Lloyd always gets the bigger portion. Lloyd lets Ky put tiny, twisting braids in his hair, despite it being Noa who's been whining to do it for much longer.</p><p>Colton asks them if they want to go to the roller skating rink after school, and they don't hesitate before saying "boooor-ing" in exactly the same cadence and tone at exactly the same time. Then they start cracking up like it's the funniest thing they've ever heard.</p><p>"Do you remember," Lloyd gasps through his tears, "how many times you fell over before you even got on the rink, Ky?"</p><p>"Hey, at least I did better than Col!"</p><p>"Because he wasn't there!"</p><p>It's funny, because Ky has never gone roller skating with them once before.</p><p>The Day of the Departed falls on a Friday this year, so as a result, the school is letting them go for a long weekend off. Their class is decidedly upbeat about this, kids making plans to meet up over the break and teachers giving up on trying to wrangle them in. This year is a bit different from the years before: Ky and Noa's parents are taking them away for the holiday and they won't return until Monday.</p><p>"I'm going to be fine, Ky," Lloyd says, shrugging off the other boy's offer of sneaking away from his family for the third time. "Seriously. I've been doing fine without you for years, right?"</p><p>Ky huffs out a sigh. "I'm just saying," he says, trailing off. Noa snorts beside him.</p><p>"How would you even get back, you idiot?" she asks. "It's not like you can ask Mom and Dad to bring the fire mech along."</p><p>The bell rings then, and they rush to gather together their things.</p><p>"Text me!" Ky demands, shoving his binder into his backpack.</p><p>"We have a group chat," Colton reminds.</p><p>Ky snorts. "Yeah, when people actually respond."</p><p>"See you after the holidays!" Jay calls.</p><p>Zane smiles softly to himself. He takes his time packing his items and bows politely to the teacher on his way out.</p><p>The sun is already setting as he exits the school, a sign of the approaching winter months. Zane waits at the bus stop for a bus to take him to his apartment. His phone buzzes when he's on the bus with a message from the group- Jay complaining that the power is out at his house again. He laughs and sends back a random collection of emojis.</p><p>The first thing he does when he closes the door to his apartment is let his skin drop. The strain it puts on his servers is barely noticeable, but its constant humming undertone disappears and the quiet is nice to enjoy.</p><p>Next, he crosses over to his bed and takes out a small suitcase from beneath it. He sets it on his bedspread, blows dust off the surface, and carefully keys in the code to unlock it.</p><p>Modern Ninjago celebrates the Day of the Departed differently than 100 years ago. The reverence for the past is still there, but it has been overshadowed by the costumes, candy, and celebrations. Some might condemn the new generation for forgetting their roots, but he sees it as, if not a great thing, something that's not terrible either. Society and culture are ever-evolving, and who is he to judge what is good or bad?</p><p>Still. Even if the rest of Ninjago has moved on, he can afford to dwell a bit longer.</p><p>Carefully, he draws the lanterns from the case. They're fragile paper, not nylon like the modern ones tend to be. The first lantern was originally dark orange, but time has lightened the paper to a yellow-ish color. He lights the candle inside it and places it carefully on the table. The next to come is blue, a smaller lantern with faded sketches of clouds on its outside. Finally, a maroon-colored lantern is carefully unfolded and lit. Its tiny flame makes its gold highlights glow.</p><p>This year, unlike all the others before it, he leaves two lanterns inside their box.</p><p>He steps back once he's finished. The three lanterns glow brightly on his table, lights dancing to some unheard tempo. They light up his dark bedroom with a muted rainbow of color.</p><p>Here, in the silence and privacy of his own room, Zane allows himself to remember.</p><p>"Activity log, day 36,245."</p><p>Zane knows how this new ninja force sees him. He's a bit odd they've whispered before, before they became a team when they thought he couldn't hear them. He's a bit goofy- a bit naive, or nonserious. That doesn't bother him like it once might have. It's obvious that they love him just as much as ever, no matter how strange they might see him from time to time.</p><p>He's always been the caretaker of their group. While Cole leads them into battle and Kai defends them with the ferocity of the animal he's named for in this life, Zane's the one who watches and adjusts himself to fit the needs of everyone else. Right now, what this group of his friends needs is someone to lift their spirits and make them laugh, remind them that not everything is dark and heavy on their too-young shoulders.</p><p>So Zane watches, and he thinks.</p><p>Maybe the time to reveal himself has come.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>originally published on FFN.net 9/22/2018</p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27787039">That's Ninja Swag (it's nothing new)(PODFIC)</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadFeelin/pseuds/WhaleKingdom">WhaleKingdom (BadFeelin)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
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